Die for molding and pressing leather upon harness-buckles



(Model.)

7 D..R.PRUDEN. DIE FOR MOLDING AND PRESSING LEATHER UPON HARNESS v BUGKLES, &c. No. 250,574., Patented Dec. 6,1881;

Fig.1- E512.

Wfi a 5 sea /%MW QZMZ dam/7 n. rams. Phowlllhognyher. Washin gggg c UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

DANIEL R. PRUDEN, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

DIE FOR MOLDING AND PRESSING'LEATHER UPON HARNESS-BUCKLES, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,574, dated December 6, 1881,

Application filed August 18, 1881. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL 1t. PRUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dies for Molding and Pressing Leather upon Harness-Buckles and Carriage-Trimmings; and I do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Prior to this invention a metal harnessbuckle has been covered with leather and then compressed between dies, so as to mold or press the leather into the shape of the buckle and to bring the two edges of the leather into contact with each other in order to admit of subsequent stitching.

My present invention relates to the construction of dies for compressing the leather upon a metal buckle or other harness or carriage trimming, the object being to give a smooth and neat finish to the leather, and to prevent a crease being formed along the leather at the junction of the dies during the operation of compressing the leather upon the buckle or other analogous article.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the dies with leathercovered buckle pressed between them. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line A B, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the covered buckle after it has been pressed and molded between the dies. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the covered buckle after it has been finished.

' aindicates the lower and b the upper die,

between which the buckle c is molded and pressed around the metal buckle. These dies can be placed in and operated by any suitable press or machine adapted for the purpose.

(1 indicates the wire or metal core of the buckle, around which the leather or rawhide covering 0 is placed and then pressed between the dies.

The die a has a central bore, a, of the shape in cross-section of the inner side of a finished buckle, and the upper die, b, is formed with a similar bore, 1).

I also provide a removable core or plug, 0, adapted to fit within the cavities of the two parts of the die, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when the said two parts are brought together they will be guided by the core, and the spreading of the leather covering c of the buckle toward the center of the buckle along a line at the junction of the two parts of the die'will be entirely obviated. In this way the leather will be compressed smoothly and evenly upon the buckle, and without crease, excepting at the points where the surplus leather extends out laterally to form the two flanges c, which afford material for lines of stitching.

In forming this leather-covered buckle the covering 0 is first folded and placed around the core or wire 01 of the buckle, after which the leather-covered buckle is placed in position around the core or plug 6 of the dies, and upon the lower die, a. The upper die, b, is then placed upon said core 0, above the buckle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The dies, with the buckle resting between them, are then placed in a press, and the requisite pressure applied to the same so as to press and mold the covering 0 around the metal core d of the buckle at one operation, after which the dies will be removed from the press, detached from each other, and the buckle removed, sewed, and properly trimmed.

Having thus described my'iuvention, what I claim, andv desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The herein-described hollow dies, adapted to press and mold a leather covering around the metal core of a buckle or analogous article, in combination with a removable core received in the cavities of the dies and adapted to guide the dies toward each other, and to prevent the creasing of the leather covering along a line at thejunction of the dies, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL R. PRUDEN.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, JOHN H. FOSTER. 

